Teddy Atlas believes there’s one thing that will give Anthony Joshua “the biggest edge” against Francis Ngannou.
In October 2023, Ngannou shocked the world by nearly defeating WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in a ten-round boxing match. Although he didn’t get his hand raised, the former UFC heavyweight champion’s legendary performance led to another high-profile fight later this week.
On Friday, March 8, ‘The Predator will face former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in a ten-round boxing match in Saudi Arabia. Joshua looks to halt Ngannou’s hype train by emerging victorious and extending his winning streak to four fights.
Teddy Atlas recently posted a YouTube video breaking down the many factors involved in Joshua vs. Ngannou. The 67-year-old boxing royalty had this to say about the primary reason that ‘AJ’ should be able to get the job done:
“There’s one thing at the end of the day that gives [Anthony Joshua] the biggest edge. Everyone is going to say his experience, all that, yes. His confidence is back, yes, but the biggest thing going for Joshua that Fury did not have going is Ngannou against Fury had the element of surprise. Nobody knew how good this guy could be. That element of surprise is gone.”
Atlas continued:
“Forewarned, foreprepared, Joshua has been warned. He’s been warned, and he’s now prepared. I’m not saying Fury wasn’t prepared. I don’t think Fury was prepared mentally for what was going to take place. I think physically he was enough but not mentally. Joshua will be prepared because he’s been warned now.”
Teddy Atlas reveals his betting picks for Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou
Despite nearly defeating Tyson Fury, Francis Ngannou is listed as the betting underdog in his upcoming fight against Anthony Joshua. According to Bovada, Joshua is a respectable -350 favorite, while Ngannou comes in at +275.
During the previously mentioned YouTube video, Teddy Atlas had this to say about two of the wagers he recommends for Joshua vs. Ngannou:
“I think Joshua is going to win. Like I said, there’s a chance he gets caught, we know that. At the end of the day, I think he’s going to win, but because the guy can punch, the guy is an athlete, the guy maybe has a little bit more wind in his sail than he even had before, that guy being Ngannou. After what he did with Fury, I cannot help but put a peanut…I put a peanut on Ngannou by knockout.”
Atlas also revealed he’s planning to take a wager on Joshua vs. Ngannou going the distance:
“I’m gonna get that +160 that it’s gonna go the distance. I’m going to take the distance. It’s going to go the distance I’m going to say.”
In August 2022, Anthony Joshua’s boxing career was derailed by a second consecutive defeat against Oleksandr Usyk.
Luckily for ‘AJ,’ he’s bounced back with three consecutive wins, including two inside the distance. He now looks to continue building momentum by taking out the always-dangerous Francis Ngannou.
Watch Atlas break down Joshua vs. Ngannou and more below:
